120 SEAMANSHIP 



of beino; taken if slie remained at anchor, and of the 

 captain's being cut off in his boat if she did not. In this 

 fix the first lieutenant, knowing the sailing qualities of 

 his ship, as Avell as the quality of his men, determined 

 not to sacrifice his captain ; he therefore held hard, 

 manned tacks and sheets, jib and staysail hawl-yards, &c., 

 a man at the hawse-hole with an axe, and everything 

 ready alow and aloft for a start. 



All kept their eyes most anxiously on the barge, which, 

 though hotly pursued, was nearing the ship fast, while 

 the shot from the enemy's line-of-battle ship flew through 

 the rigging. All was silent on board — not a gun was 

 fired ; but directly the bowman in the barge hooked on, 

 and the captain had hold of the side-ropes, the word was 

 given — the cable was cut, the sails Avere sheeted home, 

 and the Avind being off shore, she turned on her heel, and 

 gave the Frenchman Avhat the sailors call leg-bail. All 

 this was the work of a minute, and, as related to me by 

 an officer on board, it had more the appearance of magic 

 than the effect of discipline. 



The captain, on his reaching the quarter-deck, thanked 

 his first lieutenant for his friendship, as well as the cool 

 and deliberate conduct he had displayed ; and this extra- 

 ordinary feat was spoken of throughout the Xavy for 

 years. 



About this time our family circle was enlivened Ijy the 

 wedding of my second sister, upon which occasion I 

 joined the new-married couple in London (my first trip 

 there since my return from sea), and in their company 

 visited the theatres and all the ^^^'i^^ipal j^laces of 

 public resort in the great metropolis — not forgetting the 



